Education Research: EEG Instruction: Findings from a Scoping Review

Although EEG interpretation is a key skill in neurology, EEG instruction is variable and its landscape remains underexplored. Thus, we conducted a scoping review to expand the literature by providing a structured mapping of the EEG instruction literature and a foundation for future research in EEG instruction.

We followed a structured methodological framework for scoping reviews and report the findings in accordance with the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses extension for Scoping Reviews. Research questions explored theoretical frameworks, methodologies, learner populations, instructional methods, and assessment approaches. Eligibility criteria were iteratively modified to focus on studies on EEG instruction. A search strategy was developed by a systematic review librarian including the following databases: Scopus, PubMed, PsycINFO, Cumulative Index to Nursing and Allied Health Literature, CENTRAL, and Education Resources Information Center. An initial search was conducted in 2021, with a subsequent updated search to cover studies from 2022 to 2024. Screening was conducted in Covidence using dyads, with discrepancies resolved by a third reviewer. Data extraction categories were developed for the included studies.

Thirty-three EEG instruction studies were included in this scoping review. Most studies were published since 2014, were conducted in North America, originated in single institutions, and were published in neurology/neuroscience journals. Almost half of the studies had neurology trainee learner populations, but other specialty trainees were also represented. There was a dearth of theoretical frameworks underpinning the studies, and all studies used quantitative methodologies. Instructional approaches clustered around didactic instruction, online-based instruction, and experiential learning, with several studies using multiple modalities. Assessment approaches clustered around multiple-choice question tests, tests based on EEG samples, and standardized summative tests. Several studies used multiple assessment approaches, but most were lower level (Kirkpatrick level 1 or 2).

Our scoping review reveals a surge in publications on EEG instruction with a trend toward multimodal instructional approaches, with an assessment focus on knowledge. The findings from this scoping review highlight 3 areas for growth and improvement that future research might address: increase the rigor of research on EEG educational interventions, advance the scope of EEG instruction research, and enhance the precision of EEG instruction.